She had had
the impression,
she realized —
with the chill wind
against her
cheek
&
the leaves’
trembling refusal
to let go —
that it all
should last
l
o
n
g
e
r.
— C.Birde, 11/19
Impression — An Image
Earthbound — An Image
“Fall with me,”
she said.
“We’ll drift
— lightly, carelessly —
& lay
the foundations
of
earthbound
beauty.”
— C.Birde, 11/19
Remembering — A Poem
Each moment
each hour
each day,
a new layer –
like leaves
in autumn,
snow
in winter;
a collection
of transparent
memories
grown
owned
imposed
stitched into
rootless
kaleidoscopic
clothes and
draped –
oh so gently –
over our
remembering,
forgetting
bones.
— C.Birde, 10/19
Avian Noir — A Dream
Yes.
Yes, I saw.
I witnessed
the whole sordid affair.
Long hours
he must have waited
there with all the patience
of saints and thieves,
and when, at last,
identified his mark,
he burst from crisp green
turning shadow
forward,
toward her
and –
with the clever curve
of yellow blades and
piercing efficiency –
gripped her about
the throat,
cradled her —
almost tenderly —
within his grasp, and
swept her
up
across the street.
The gathered crowd –
those self-appointed
constabularies,
feathered blue and
white and black –
screamed alarm
Too late
too late!
(Ask them why
they hesitated!)
Gone.
She was gone.
Carried off
aloft.
Her dove-gray
breast pierced through,
her head –
unsupported –
lolling from
her slender neck.
Yes, I saw.
I saw it
all.
— C.Birde, 10/19
Absolution — An Image
Little by little,
she let go
the past
&
freed herself
to the
light.
— C.Birde,10/19
Tea Light — A Poem
Autumn light –
tea-stained
honeyed
steeped
in maple,
ash and
hickory
burnished
gold and
poured through
branch and
leaf and
limb into
our hollowed
hallowed
hands.
Drink
up.
— C.Birde, 10/19
Passions — A Dream
“Where
has anger led?”
Her query
was demand.
“That shimmering
red-veil firestorm
kindled and fed
the flux and
transmission
of broken light,
the fiery collision
of past
present
future,
devouring and
insatiable.”
Flushed,
she paused
for breath.
“I will wear grief
instead,”
she began again,
“Those blunt
bruised shades
of blue-gray
melancholy…
I will wear grief,”
she affirmed.
In the mirror,
our eyes met.
“until our
collective heart
is restored
and polished,
and its calloused
ache – at last –
is shed.”
— C.Birde, 8/30/19
Drowse — An Image
Crisp
cool air;
retreating light;
the earth’s slow
burnishing…
She made up
her bed
— carefully —
&
prepared
to
sleep.
— C.Birde, 10/19
Selene — A Poem
Pebbles &
pearls &
milky, cat’s eye
marbles;
halos &
oculi &
bright, silver
coins;
cups &
saucers &
spheres of
dandelions
blowing to seed.
But always and
above all these,
the Moon,
Oh,
the Moon.
— C.Birde, 10/15/19
Footlights — An Image
Bright-eyed
asters,
starry-eyed
asters –
perennial footlights
to Autumn’s
drama.
— C.Birde, 10/19